A True North
by Lovedrr
Summary: Set between the events of Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War, Steve and Natasha reunite and share a moment … Written for the couples cuddle challenge. I


Title: A True North

Author: Lovedrr

Summary: Set between the events of Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War, Steve and Natasha reunite and share a moment …

Written for the couples cuddle challenge.

The hotels weren't exactly five star.

Steve "The Captain" Rogers and his team had been operating undercover for some time. After he had saved all of them from prison, those which had chosen to side with him felt an immense sense of pride following him. The team had been covertly dubbed 'The Secret Avengers.'

Their last operation had been dirty … literally.

Chasing rogue scientists guarded by Ultron like robotic battalions through watery underground tunnels had turned into a lengthy pursuit. However, they'd had help this time. The team hadn't realized that they had a shadow until halfway through the op.

It was easy to guess who. The scientists they had been after had connections to Hydra, the Winter Soldier program, and the Red Room. She had probably just happened to have been closing in on them at the same time as Steve's team.

Back at their safehouse, which this time was an inconspicuous motel on the outskirts of the main city, Steve and Sam walked toward his room discussing the team's need for ammo and supplies. Reaching his door, both of them heard the water running in the shower inside his room. They braced for combat for only a moment, then they nodded to each other and relaxed.

Steve hesitated.

"There'll be some dinner downstairs, if you guys … eat that sort of thing," Sam grinned.

Steve looked up at Sam, and then watched his best friend walk off back down the hallway still grinning over his shoulder at him.

When Steve opened the door, the shower had stopped. The lock didn't seem tampered with, and if she had wanted, there wouldn't have been any trace of her presence at all. The fact that she had revealed herself with the shower meant the coast was clear. Stealth was her specialty, after all.

As he walked into the room, she was there … sitting on the edge of his bed drying her hair … almost the same as she had been so long ago … except this time she was only wearing a bath towel.

Natasha "The Black Widow" Romanoff.

A look passed between them, and then Steve walked over to sit on the edge of the bed beside her.

"What's going on?" he asked.

For a moment, Natasha just stared at him. Even Clint, her oldest living friend, couldn't read her facial expressions as well as Steve. She, too, remembered the moment they had shared a long time ago which was so similar to this one. It made it easier to talk to him.

"When I signed the accords, I thought I knew what I was doing. Another bad call," Natasha began, looking down for a moment. "You know, there's a saying: 'There's undercover, and then there's which way is up. It's about time I admitted … I can't tell the difference anymore."

"Still a chance you could be in the wrong business," Steve said softly.

"Pretty much the only thing I do know … is that you know. When the tides are turning, and neither side seems right … I know now … on the moral compass, go with you. You're … my true north."

In silence, the two of them stared into one another's eyes for a long moment.

"You gonna stay?" Steve asked.

"I don't want you to be alone," Nat whispered.

A soft, quiet look passed between the two of them. Then, Steve slipped a warming arm across her slim shoulders. Nat leaned into him, resting her head against his neck.

She closed her eyes.

So did he.

Two hours later, Sam came walking up to Steve's door carrying a tray of food. He raised his hand to knock, but then paused. All was silent inside.

Moving quietly, Sam placed the tray on the floor in front of the door and started to walk away. Then, he turned, took the 'do not disturb' tag off the tray, and hung it on the doorknob.

Inside, lying on the bed, Natasha lay quietly cuddled in Steve's arms. Post op exhaustion had crept in on both of them, and they had simply let themselves doze off together. During the early hours of the morning, when either would stir awake, they would decide not to move, seeking as much of the comfort of the other as they could.

Later, when the morning light of the sun shone across their faces, both Steve and Natasha slowly awoke. They sleepily opened their eyes to gaze at one another. They could have kissed … but instead laid their foreheads together.

"If we're undercover, you could use a change of appearance," she told him, leaning back but still staying close.

"That so?" he asked.

"A beard, maybe."

"What about you?" followed Steve. "Another hair change?"

"You like blondes?"

End


End file.
